


Pour Le Reste De Nos Vies

by doing_her_best



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Post-Canon, but i'm a sucker for a happy ending, does the title spoil the ending, oh it's cute, there might be some drama, this entire thing is set up for the last scene, tourist dorks with one brain cell, wlw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2020-12-16 02:33:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21028817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doing_her_best/pseuds/doing_her_best
Summary: Post college graduation, Emma and Alyssa embark on their dream vacation to Paris.





	1. Preface

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so this isn't really a chapter it's just a short preface. But I've been working on this for a while and I wanted to just post a taste of it for now. The full story is coming very soon!

“Alright everyone, the seat belt sign has been turned on,” the voice of a flight attendant chirped overhead. “Please buckle up and prepare for takeoff.” 

Emma gulped and looked out the window, trying to keep calm as she felt the plane start to rumble beneath her. She felt her familiar pre-flight anxiety pulse through her as the plane started to speed up, preparing to leap into the sky. But before she got too anxious, she felt a warm, comforting hand slip into her own.

“You’re doing great, babe,” Alyssa said gently, rubbing a small circle on her girlfriend’s hand while squeezing tightly. She was pretty familiar with Emma’s flight anxiety having been through this a few times before. 

Emma squeezed back before resting her head on Alyssa’s shoulder and closing her eyes wearily. “I hate flying,” she mumbled, burying her face in Alyssa’s hair.

“I know,” Alyssa soothed, bringing Emma’s hand to her lips for a gentle kiss. “But the worst part is almost over, and it’s going to be so worth it.”

“Yeah it will,” Emma agreed as she snuggled deeper into Alyssa’s side. “I can already see the Eiffel Tower.”

The trip had been a surprise college graduation gift from the gang. In only a month, Emma would be starting a full time job working as a youth outreach coordinator for GLAAD; a month after that, Alyssa would be starting law school (Columbia Law, full scholarship). This would be their last time to truly be carefree before the reality of adulting set in, and the two had been talking for weeks about where they would be vacationing in their very limited time off. 

Paris was the dream. Well, it was Alyssa’s dream -- she spoke French fluently, she was an art history minor dying to see the Louvre, and she loved the history and culture. Emma didn’t feel too strongly, but she had never left the country before, and spending a week in the most romantic city in the world didn’t sound too bad at all. As long as she got some really good bread and cheese at some point, all that mattered to her was being with Alyssa. 

There was no way they would be able to afford it on their own, but their friends had come through in the most amazing, generous ways. Dee Dee had endless Sky Miles saved up from flying back and forth between Edgewater and New York to visit Mr. Hawkins, so she donated the flights. Trent had an old friend from Julliard who was willing to lend the girls his Paris house for the week, rent-free. Angie’s old dresser from Chicago let them raid a Broadway costume storage unit for swanky new clothes for the trip that made them feel like they were stepping off a runway. 

And Barry? Well, Alyssa didn’t know it yet, but his contribution to the trip had been the biggest. Emma just couldn’t wait for her to find out. 

The rumble of the plane intensified as the machine glided into the air, and Emma squeezed Alyssa’s hand tightly as she felt her stomach drop. She had only been flown on a plane a few times before, and she hated every second of take off and landing. 

“Shhh,” Alyssa whispered, running her fingers through Emma’s hair. “It’s okay. You’re okay”

Emma scrunched her eyes even tighter and tried to focus on the scent of Alyssa’s perfume, a calming floral scent that always danced through a room long after Alyssa had left. She burrowed even deeper into Alyssa’s curls and murmured, “Thanks for not making fun of me.”

“Of course not, babe.”

“If humans were meant to fly, they’d have wings.”

Alyssa laughed a little. “I love you a whole bunch, Emma Nolan.”

“I love you more,” Emma replied, her eyes still closed tightly.

“Not possible,” Alyssa said firmly.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay this is going to be shorter than I originally intended because I'm working on something else that's HUGE right now. But I hope you enjoy nonetheless :)

“_Merci beaucoup, monsieur,” _ Alyssa said breezily as she handed a few bills to their taxi driver.

“You’re so hot when you speak French,” Emma said playfully as she lifted their suitcases from the trunk of the taxi. 

“You’re hot when you speak English,” Alyssa replied.

Emma blushed and ducked her head as she slammed the trunk closed. “You ready to see this place?”

Alyssa nodded as she fished the keys out from the flower pot where they had been told they would be hidden. Emma wheeled their two suitcases up to the front stoop and admired the quaint, ivy-covered brick building, their home for the next week. “Okay,” Alyssa said as she gave Emma a gleeful smile. She quickly slipped the key into the lock and grabbed hold of the doorknob. “Vacation officially begins…”

“Now!” both girls declared as Alyssa pressed the door open. They gasped as the saw the inside the little home, a charming cottage with a gorgeous kitchen and living space. Emma set their suitcases down as the two started to wander the space, dreamy eyed with excitement.

“_Wow,” _ Alyssa breathed as she gingerly explored the first floor.

“You could say that again,” Emma replied as she let her eyes wander throughout the cottage. “Remind me to thank Trent a thousand times when we get back.”

“I don’t know if we _ will _ ever go back, because I could happily stay here forever,” Alyssa declared.

“Agreed,” Emma said, plopping down on the couch.

“Wait!” Alyssa cried just as Emma made contact with the couch. “Don’t sit down.”

Startled, Emma jumped up from where she was sitting, afraid she had just sat in something disgusting. “What?? Why?”

“Where do you suppose ... the bedroom is?” Alyssa asked, giving Emma a mischievous smile.

Emma gaped at her for a moment before nodding excitedly. “I think upstairs.”

Alyssa walked towards the staircase, popped her hip, and held her hand out. “Do you want to help me go find out?”

Nodding even more vigorously, Emma slipper her hand into Alyssa’s before the two rushed up the stairs, giggling madly as they threw open the door to a magnificent bedroom with a king sized bed.

“I guess this will have to do,” Alyssa said breathlessly as she grabbed Emma by her shirt collar. She threw her weight down onto the top of the bed, pulling Emma down with her, and immediately began kissing her fervently.

Emma laughed a little as Alyssa began to hurriedly unbutton Emma’s jeans. “Babe, do you want to slow down, maybe walk around the neighborhood before we do this?”

Alyssa didn’t even think before responding, “Nope!”

“Thank god,” Emma said, reaching for the hemline of Alyssa’s shirt, ready to pull it over her head. “Neither did I.”

* * *

Late that night, Emma counted to twenty to make sure Alyssa was asleep, and then counted to fifty, and then a hundred just to make sure. As slowly and quietly as she could, Emma squirmed away from Alyssa’s arms and slipped out from under the covers. The floorboards creaked loudly when Emma pressed her weight on them, making her freeze and suck in her breath. She waited to make sure Alyssa hadn’t woken up, but thankfully, she was dead to the world. Relieved, Emma slipped across the room and into the hallway where her suitcase lay next to the bedroom door.

With a shaking hand, she fished through the contents until she found what she was looking for: a stretchy pair of black jeans that Alyssa told her she wouldn’t need on the trip. But Emma insisted she needed to pack them, not just because they were so comfortable, but because they had a deep zippered pocket. 

Holding her breath, Emma pulled the zipper down and fished out the contents of the pocket. Even in the dusky night, she could still make out the pale blue hue of the Tiffany box and the purity of the creamy white ribbon wrapped around it. Tiffany’s, Barry had insisted, was the only place to get a suitable engagement ring. Emma swore she would pay him back one day, but Barry shrugged her off, insisting this was his share of their graduation present.

Emma opened the box and gazed down at the diamond ring inside, sparkling even in the darkness. She knew it was ridiculous to be looking at it right now, but she had to make sure the ring safely survived their travels. _Of course it did, _Emma thought to herself. _Diamonds don't break, moron. _But she couldn't help but sneak another peak at it; carrying it around with her made everything feel heavy with anticipation.

Emma was so bad at keeping secrets from Alyssa, so she made a promise to herself that this was the last time she would look at the ring until she pulled it out in a few days, on their scheduled trip to the top of the Eiffel tower. She had practiced exactly what she wanted to say a hundred times, and she was waiting until just the right moment. Until then, it would stay safely tucked away in the jeans, a promise waiting to be made. 

* * *

“Good morning, gorgeous,” Alyssa sang as she slipped into the bedroom holding a tray the next morning. Emma rubbed her eyes as she swam into consciousness, feeling more exhausted than she felt like she should.

“Hey, there,” Emma said sleepily as she slid on her glasses. Once she could see clearly, she noticed that Alyssa was already showered and wearing a flowery sundress, her hair expertly curled, her makeup applied with a light hand. Emma would never ceased to be amazed at what a morning person her girlfriend was. 

“I brought you breakfast in bed,” Alyssa announced as she waltzed into the room.

“You are a _ goddess,” _ Emma declared as she pulled herself into a sitting position. Alyssa placed a tray with a warm baguette, butter and jam, and a fresh cup of coffee (a _ very _ crucial part of Emma’s morning routine) on her lap before leaning in to give her a quick peck on the lips.

“How’d you sleep?” Alyssa asked as Emma smeared butter on her bread.

“Like a rock,” she replied - a white lie, since she was up most of the night thinking about the ring hiding her suitcase - as she took a bite of the crusty bread. “Wow,” she moaned lightly. “This shit is amazing.”

Alyssa laughed and sat down on the edge of the bed as Emma devoured the crusty bread. “I got it from the bakery down the street. I’ll have to take you there later.”

Emma groaned as she took another bite. "This is seriously better than sex."

"Hey! I hope not!"

Emma grinned as she wiped some of the crumbs from her lips. “What about you? Did you sleep okay?”

Alyssa shook her head, bouncing her knee up and down. “I was too excited to sleep. We have so much to do today!”

“We do?” Emma mumbled through a mouth full of bread.

Alyssa nodded excitedly, her whole body bouncing a little now. “I have our whole schedule planned out for the week to make sure we hit everything we need to. This afternoon is the _ Arc de Triomphe _, but first we have three museums to hit before lunch.”

Emma’s eyes bugged out of her head when she heard that. “Three?”

“Well, we’re having a late lunch.”

Emma tried to hide her pout with a quick sip of coffee, considering her next works. “I was hoping we could maybe just …. walk around, see things on our own time.”

Alyssa shook her head. “There’s just so much to see, and only a week to see it all.”

Emma gave her a small smile. “Okay, babe, whatever you want.”

Alyssa flashed Emma a huge smiled in and pressed a deep kiss against her mouth. “I love you, babe,” she said after lingering for a second. “You ready to get dressed?”

Emma nodded, pushing the tray aside and stretching as she rolled out of bed. “Yup! Emlyssa takes Paris day one. Let’s go!”   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also did the title of the fic tip you off to the ring or-


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry they fight... it's necessary. Final chapter is v cute I promise  
Also TW this chapter for discussion of vomiting but nothing gross or graphic

Four days later, Emma stared at her reflection in the mirror in the downstairs bathroom of their cottage, grimacing at her hair. The heavy humidity had done a number on it, and despite her best efforts, it still had a hint of frizz she just couldn’t shake. She looked herself up and down, hoping her outfit would help compensate for her less than perfect hairstyle. The fitted grey dress shirt and slacks Angie had gotten her were androgynously cool, and they made her feel pretty confident about how she looked, even after a week of near constant self doubt and exhaustion. 

Emma hadn’t realized the ferver with which Alyssa had scheduled their trip - a mistake on her own part, because did she not know who she was dating? Each day began with a new guidebook and was jam-packed with so many tourist attractions and educational guides that Emma felt like her head was going to explode. They were only at each location long enough to snap a picture and read an informational brochure before Alyssa gleefully grabbed her by the wrist, yanking her to the next stop on their grand tour of the city.

Emma wanted everything to be good tonight. Trent had gotten them a reservation at the fanciest restaurants either of the girls had ever heard of, and she was excited to just sit and talk, to just _ be _ with each other, instead of rushing off to the next stop. Giving up on her hair, she left the bathroom to pace the bottom of the steps nervously, waiting for girlfriend.

And then she saw Alyssa appear.

A soft pink gown hugged her curves and stopped neatly above her knees, the thin material swishing as she gracefully descended the staircase. Her thick curls danced in loose ringlets that perfectly framed her glowing face, the most beautiful smile dancing across it. The light hit her just perfectly as she gazed down at Emma, her eyes warm and wide. As she walked down the staircase, as elegant as a princess, Emma felt the whole world disappear as she remembered all the reasons why Alyssa was absolutely perfect in her eyes. 

“You’re beautiful,” Emma whispered, awestruck, as Alyssa hit the bottom of the stairs. It wasn’t a compliment; it was a fact.

“So are you,” Alyssa replied.

“No, I mean it,” Emma said as she stepped towards Alyssa. When they were inches apart, head to head and toe to toe, she cleared her throat and looked her girlfriend in the eyes. “You are the most breathtaking, stunningly gorgeous woman in the world, and I have no idea how I got so lucky that you’re mine.”

Alyssa sighed softly before pressing her forehead against Emma’s. The two stayed like that for a moment, breathing deeply, before pulling apart. “You ready to leave?"

Emma nodded before opening the front door for Alyssa. Alyssa had just stepped outside before Emma paused. “Wait!” she said suddenly, taking a step back inside. “I… forgot something. I’ll be right back.” 

Before Alyssa could respond, Emma bounded up the stairs and dashed toward her suitcase, hurriedly pulling out the pair of black jeans resting in the bottom. She quickly grabbed them and pulled out the ring box, slipping it into her pants pocket. When she saw Alyssa in that dress, she knew she couldn’t wait one more day. She had to do this tonight.

Seconds later, Emma was outside the house with Alyssa as if nothing had happened. “Okay, let’s go,” she said as she closed the door behind them.

“What’d you forget?” Alyssa asked.

“My, uh… glasses,” Emma said lamely. “I _ thought _ I forgot them, but turns out they were already on my face.”

Alyssa giggled before reaching for Emma’s hand. “You’re a dork and I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Emma replied. She felt the ring box bouncing in her pocket with every step.

* * *

“Lys, what’s that thing I like?” Emma asked as she stared at her menu, the French words all blurring on the page.

“Again?” Alyssa said with a sigh. 

“Yeah,” Emma said as she fiddled with her napkin.

Alyssa rolled her eyes. “_Croque monsieur.” _

Emma nodded and turned to the waiter. _ Oui. _ Uhhh.. croak-monster.” She knew she wasn’t saying it right, but the baked ham and cheese sandwich she had ordered at almost every meal was always delicious and always a safe choice.

The waiter nodded sharply as he took her menu. He turned to Alyssa and asked, “_Et pour vous mademoiselle_?”

“_Escargots au beurre s'il vous plait ,_”Alyssa said confidently, handing the leather-bound menu to their waiter.

“Did you just order snails?” Emma said, her brow furrowing as the waiter walked away.

“I did,” Alyssa said with a proud grin.

“Eww…” Emma said, unable to stop herself.

Alyssa shot dagger eyes at her. “They’re a French delicacy. And we’re literally _ in Paris, _ and I’ll never get another chance to try them-”

“We live in New York,” Emma countered. “You can get anything there-”

“Well, I want to make the most of the trip-”

“Yeah, you’ve _ mentioned-” _

“Stop,” Alyssa said, burying her face in her hands. “Just, please. I don’t want to start again.”

Emma looked down at her fork, feeling guilty. “I don’t want to either. I’m sorry for snapping.”

Alyssa looked up at her. “No, I’m sorry. I know foreign food makes you uncomfortable.”

“Not _ all _ foreign food,” Emma replied. “Just snails.”

Alyssa cracked a smile. “They’re supposed to taste amazing.”

“Yeah, well, we’ll see about that,” Emma said with a skeptical laugh. In no time, their waiter appeared with the food, and Emma couldn’t help but laugh when she saw Alyssa cringe at the plate being placed in front of her. Peeking out from some massive shells was an unidentifiable green substance that gave Alyssa more than a little pause.

“_Bon appétit_,” their water said as Emma dove into her food. Her fancy sandwich looked amazing, and she groaned a little in satisfaction as she cut into the melted cheese. Smirking, she watched Alyssa nervously poke her fork into a shell and pull out the slimey contents, popping it into her mouth with a nervous shudder.

“Not so fun now, huh?” Emma said with a small laugh as Alyssa’s eyes grew wide. Emma expected her to start laughing too, but Alyssa’s eyes grew even wider as she clasped a hand to her mouth, her face quickly turning a sickly shade of green.

“Lys? You okay?” Emma asked anxiously. Alyssa didn’t answer before she shot up from the table and breathlessly rattled off a question in French to their waiter, something that Emma figured was probably, “Where’s the bathroom?” The waiter merely pointed towards the back of the restaurant, and Alyssa set off in a run, her hand still clasped tightly over her mouth. Emma watched her dash off before looking back down at her food. What looked delicious a few moments ago now looked repulsive. 

Before she could be left alone with her thoughts for too long, their waiter reappeared and asked in perfect English, “I assume you’d be liking the check, madame?"

Emma sighed gently, reaching her hand into her pocket to feel the weight of the Tiffany box. “_Oui _.”

* * *

The taxi ride back to the house was deadly silent. Alyssa lay sprawled across the backseat with her head in Emma’s lap, but there was no physical affection in it. Both girls were as stiff as statues during the ten minute trip, pretending the other wasn’t there, pretending everything was fine, pretending Alyssa hadn’t just projectile vomited all over a fancy French restaurant. 

“We’re here,” Emma said when the cab pulled to a stop in front of the house. Slowly, Alyssa moved herself into a sitting position, groaning a little. “I’ll get the door for you,” Emma said, jumping out the door on her side of the car so she could run around the back to open the door for Alyssa. 

“Thank you,” Alyssa said as Emma helped her out of the cab, pretty much dying of embarrassed but very grateful for the help. She still felt pretty queasy as Emma helped her out of the car, but there was truly no one she would rather be there with. With Emma’s arm around her waist, the two slowly made their way to the front door, creeping delicately up the front stoop until Emma paused.

“Hey, Lys?”

“Hmm?” 

“I don’t… know how much to pay.”  
  
“Pay what?” Alyssa asked, her mind a little foggy.

“The driver,” Emma said apologetically. She handed Alyssa a wad of French bills. “He told me the number, but I still can’t quite figure out this money.”

Gritting her teeth, Alyssa carefully counted out the right amount and pressed it into Emma’s hand. Emma quickly dashed over to give the money to the cab driver before running back to Alyssa, who was already unlocking the front door.

“Do you want me to run to the store?” Emma asked, trying to be helpful. “See if I can get you some Pepto-Bismol or something?”

“No, I don’t think I need it,” Alyssa said as she stepped into the house. Emma nodded as she stepped in after her.

“You wouldn’t be able to pay for it anyway,” Alyssa mumbled when she thought Emma couldn’t hear. 

But she did hear. 

Emma felt her face flame with anger and she slammed the door behind her. “Fine. You want to fight? Let’s fight.”

“Emma-”

“No,” Emma said angrily, crossing her arms. “I’ve tried to be good. I’ve tried to be game for all of the museums, the bus rides, and monuments, and every single tourist destination you drag me to, but nothing I do is ever good enough for you, and I’m done.”

“Emma, that’s not fair.”

“No, I think it’s exactly fair,” Emma replied, her voice raising. “You’ve been treating me like crap this whole trip, and I’m sick of it!”

Alyssa clenched her fists, angry and embarrassed that Emma was calling her out like this. They hardly ever fought, but the stress of the trip had become too much. “You just... I don’t get it!” Alyssa cried, exasperated. “We are in fucking _ Paris, _ and you don’t seem to care! We are literally living in a dream right now in the most gorgeous city in the world, and all you can do is complain about how you’re too bored, too hot, too tired-”

“Because I’m exhausted!” Emma shot back. “You have us running around nonstop to stupid tourist destinations-”

“They are NOT stupid tourist destinations, Emma!” Alyssa shouted at her. “This is supposed to be the trip of a lifetime, and this is our chance to actually see the world, and it’s like you don’t want to see it! I mean, come on! We’re in fucking Paris! We’re literally _ in Paris _, and you don’t seem to care!” 

“I _DON’T_ CARE!” Emma finally screamed in frustration. “I don’t care about the city, or the food, or the art, or the fucking guide books. All I wanted was to spend a vacation with the woman I loved, and I don’t understand why you don’t want that too.”

There was a dark pause as Emma caught her breath while Alyssa frozen in deadly silence.

“‘Loved?’” Alyssa asked quietly, her jaw hanging open slightly. 

“What?”

“You said ‘loved.’ Past tense. Not, ‘love’, present tense. Do you…” she gasped softly, afraid to speak it out loud. “Do you not love me anymore?”

“Alyssa, I-”

“You said ‘loved’,” Alyssa repeated, tears springing to her eyes as she started to choke on her own words. “Did I… did I ruin this?

“Hey, no, stop,” Emma said, trying to step closer. But Alyssa jumped back, her heart picking up. Emma watched her girlfriend start to shake her head sadly, trying to make sense of it all.

“Oh, god, I fucked this all up,” Alysa said, tears beginning to overflow. “I- I ruined this, didn’t I? I ruined the trip, and I ruined us. You said ‘loved’, past tense. I ruined everything, like I always do-"

“Alyssa stop, I do love you-”

“I’m so sorry Emma, I’m so sorry.” Alyssa began to sob, her whole body shaking. “I ruined everything. You’re the best thing in my life. This trip doesn’t matter, _ you’re _ the only thing that matters, and I ruined it-”

“I. Love. You. Present. Tense,” Emma said firmly, clutching Alyssa’s wrists as tightly as she dared. “And future tense. And past tense. I do, have, and always will love you.”

“I- I…” Alyssa was choking on her words, crying so hard she couldn’t speak.

“I love you present tense,” Emma repeated before wrapping her arms tightly around Alyssa. She held her tightly as she kept repeating it like a mantra, “I love you present tense. I love you present tense. I love you present tense.”

“I’m so sorry,” Alyssa whimpered, shaking with sobs as she put her head on Emma’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Emma.”

“I love you present tense.”


	4. Chapter 4

They didn’t speak for the rest of the night; they just held each other, lying in each other’s arms in bed. When they woke up the next morning, neither one of them made a move to get out of bed, ignoring their shopping plans and brunch reservations. A mournful yet beautiful silence filled the air around them as they held each other, listening to each other breathe, making up for lost time on the trip as they lay with their faces inches apart. 

It wasn’t until late that afternoon, when both their stomachs were rumbling, did they finally emerge from their cocoon and head down the block for a late meal. Their conversation was minimal, tentative, as they both recovered from the night before, but eventually they both seemed to let go of the breath they were holding. It was late in the evening when Emma mentioned their scheduled trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower. While the official trip schedule had been officially abandoned, neither wanted to miss visiting the landmark. After a quick stop back at the apartment to grab their jackets, the two headed to the center of the city, where the monument was waiting.

“Wow,” Alyssa said, craning her head back as they approached.

“Wow,” Emma echoed. 

“It’s so much taller in person.”

“Yeah.”

“You ready to go up?” 

Emma nodded and looked Alyssa up and down. “I’m ready. Are you? You’re sure your stomach’s okay?”

Alyssa grimaced before placing a hand lightly on her abdomen. “I’m fine now. Even if I wasn’t, there’s no way I’m missing this.” She reached out a hand, waiting for Emma to grasp it. 

“Okay,” Emma said, putting her hand in Alyssa’s. It fit just perfectly, as if they had been made to go together. Discreetly, Emma slipped her other hand into her pocket; the ring box sat snugly in her jeans, waiting only to be removed. It was the last night of their trip; it had to be tonight.

They both held their breath during the elevator ride to the top, shocked as they watched the entire world around them change. When they reached the top, a hush fell over the crowd of people exiting the elevator and the whole world seemed to spread out around them.

“Lys…” Emma breathed, taking in the city lights all around them.

“I know,” Alyssa replied, her eyes wide with wonder. “It’s.. beautiful.” She let her hand slip out of Emma’s as she walked to the edge. Emma didn’t follow her but watched as her girlfriend step away to admire the view. 

Suddenly, Emma felt panic course through her body. What if Alyssa said no? What if she wasn’t ready? Or she didn’t want the same things that Emma did? What if they just started fighting again?

And then Emma looked at Alyssa, really looked at her. This was the girl who made her head spin in ways she didn’t have words for. This was the girl who made her laugh harder than she thought possible. This was the girl who understood her in ways that she didn’t think it was possible for another human to understand.

Alyssa was her soulmate, and they needed to spend the rest of their lives together. 

Emma felt her mouth go dry as she reached into her pocket for the little blue box. She looked at her feet as she felt her heart rate pick up, not from fear but from excitement, from certainty that this was the right move. Suddenly, all of the words she had diligently rehearsed in the mirror for exactly this moment flew out of her head, and Emma was about to panic, but she looked back at Alyssa, feeling hoping to feel calm again. 

And she did, for a moment. But then she saw what Alyssa held.

Emma would know Betsy’s wedding ring anywhere. That little round diamond had lived on her grandmother’s hand for decades, even after her grandfather had passed. For the smallest fraction of a second, Emma had no idea why Alyssa had it, or what on Earth it was doing here, on top of the Eiffel tower, in her girlfriend’s hand.

And then, in another smallest fraction of a second, she grew a brain cell and realized: Betsy must have given it to Alyssa before they left on the trip. So Alyssa could give it to her.

Emma gasped, her knees suddenly weak as she realized what was happening. She saw Alyssa gasp in that same second when she caught sight of the ring Emma held, unable to believe this was happening either. 

Wordlessly, the two of them ran to each other, needing the space between them to disappear entirely. In seconds, they were embracing tightly, holding each other close as they utter the only word that made sense, the only word either of them could remember as the world around them melted away. 

“Yes.”   
  



End file.
